Back to Japan – Otaru and Mega Night

While I can’t say this statement has been true for my whole life, or for even times as recent as 10 years ago, I do loves me some Japan. I think after moving out of the country, we needed a few years apart to grow and develop, and now that I’m more mature, and I don’t have to deal with its everyday bullshit on a regular basis, Japan is again like a second home to me, full of enjoyment and wonder, and booze, and video games.

So back again I went into the fire, this time to both Tokyo and Kyoto in one trip, in search for the best drunkenest parties in the country, and people to talk about game dev with. I was not disappointed.

I left on Thursday morn, a chill wind from the north whipping through the trees, keeping my vodka at just above freezing. I questioned my own behaviour on Facebook, regarding always taking early flights, to which I received an immediate and repeated response.

“You’re a cheap bastard.”

The truth is hard to take at 3 am.

But after a short flight, a nap, and like 40 plates of sushi, I was off and rearing to go to Otaru, Tokyo’s video game industry weekly meet up. This was my second time visiting, and I was pleasantly surprised to be remembered, and not beaten to a bloody pulp on sight. It’s a super welcoming crowd. Y’all my fucking heroes.

#Progress

I don’t remember everything that happened, but these people know how to do up a Thursday night. Add some Kyoto peeps in town in the mix and dayum it’s nuts. We sanjikaied at a burrito shop where I had a few coronas and I woke up in bed the next morning, covered in mikan chuhai, trying to piece everything together over Twitter.

Them lemon sours pack a punch.

Twitter remembers all.

Pukey and 40, I rolled out of bed around 10 and trundled over to Narita T3, and dead-plebbed it JetStar to KIX, Kyoto bound to Mega. (Kyoto peeps took the train like civilized human beings.)

Mega, which I think might be a secret, but then again might not be, and no one reads this anyways so it doesn’t really matter, is Vitei Backroom’s RR celebration of video games, friendship, and alcohol. On Mega Eve, the three 1/2 kingdoms declare peace for a day, and all come together to rejoice, for there is ample booze in the freezer. It is a time of joy and glee. And, for the second time in 24 hrs, I woke up with the taste of mikan chuhai in my mouth.

It’s the taste of freedom.

The rest of the time was spent handing with ex-Seoulites, and getting dat soosh. Good times.